Field of the Invention
This invention relates to marine devices that cut lines, nets, weeds and the like, and more particularly to supports for shearing cutters that employ a blade rotating with the propeller of a vessel that cooperates with a non-rotating blade mounted on a rope guard of a vessel adjacent the shaft.
Lines, nets, weeds and the like are commonly encountered by vessels. They may be swept by the propeller blades into the propeller shaft apparatus where they can cause great harm, i.e. into the space where the propeller shaft extends from its housing. There they cut through the oil seals causing loss of lubricant. The current trend toward long line fishing wherein heavy monofilament nylon many miles long is lying in the water has exacerbated the problem. Applicant's U.S. Pat. No. 4,943,249 which issued on 7/24/90 teaches a unique means for adjusting the distance between a pair of radially extending shearing cutters, one of which is attached to a non-rotating portion of the ship and one of which is attached to a rotating portion of the ship.
The position of the propeller will change relative to the hull, advancing axially when under way in forward due to the forward thrust of the propeller. Heating and cooling of the shaft will also change propeller axial position. A sensing mechanism senses propeller location and a moving mechanism moves the non-rotating blade to accomodate these changes in relative propeller location to maintain a fixed, very close spacing between the two blades for effective shearing action.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,447,215; 4,507,091; 4,544,363 and 4,801,281 issued to Applicant disclose means for mounting both rotating and non-rotating shearing blades on the shaft so that axial shaft displacement has no effect on relative blade spacing. A simple, inexpensive mechanism for maintaining the correct distance between a rotating blade on a shaft or propeller and a non-rotating blade mounted on a non-rotating portion of the ship for optimum shearing action between the two blades despite axial movement of the shaft and propeller would be useful for many waterborne craft.
Prior art devices mount the non-rotating member of a line shearing system to the strut or shaft bearing housing of the vessel. There are situations where this support means may not be effective or may complicate correct installation.